Week 139 – Pugilism, Diggstown And A Vagina With Teeth.

There was a wee bit of a stramash this week. The fight between Mayweather and McGregor was another one I didn’t see as I only have council TV.

I used to enjoy following the boxing, but now that Sky has monopolised everything I see very little. I think Sky is going to be like Skynet from ‘The Terminator’ films and it is the beginning of our end. But to be truthful, no-one will notice as they will all be watching the varied box-sets that are available. Dying in front of the TV is now more of a certainty than pneumonia!

Anyway back to the boxing, I did see some of the Ali fights but I was just a bit too young. I do remember The Hitman Thomas Hearns and Marvellous Marvin Hagler standing in the middle of the ring and knocking the shit out of each other. I also enjoyed the rivalry between Benn and Eubank and their fights are always worth a re-watch.

I actually watched one of their fights in ‘The Riverside’ pub near Minishant. I nearly got into an altercation myself. I was up at the bar getting a round and drinking fliers. (A flier is a different drink from what you are drinking within the round and it is normally something really stupid. You have one every time you go up to the bar for the legitimate round. Jesus, no wonder all our livers are fucked!) Anyway I could try and make up my choice and say that I drunk them for a bet, but sod it I like them, still do! I was drinking Brandy and Babycham fliers. A guy at the bar heard me ordering one and insinuated that I was gay. I probably should have made a joke and set him straight but I blew him a kiss and ordered him a Pink gin. He wasn’t best pleased! (I was fine, I had already slipped some Rohypnol in his pint. Gayness may not be my thing but Serial Killing after a night on the Brandy and Babychams is another matter!.)

I might be out there but I reckon that Tyson was beaten by his advisor’s. If he had been mentored and looked after correctly, he could have retired undefeated and maybe not had as much opportunity to do all the things that he did. (NB – Ear-biting is a legitimate Glasgow defensive move!)

I need to get a book reference in here somewhere, so I will mention ‘Diggstown’ by Leonard Wise, which the film ‘Midnight Sting’ starring James Woods and Louis Gossett Jnr. was based on. This has been the only movie that made me show some emotion at the end…I cheered, I only normally do that when I open a bottle of Bacardi. I have promised myself that I will read that book one day!

But my favourite fight of all time was between Jeannie McGhee and Wilma Cuthbert. They were neighbours and the legend goes that Jeannie hit Wilma so hard in the mouth, her false teeth came out of a rather interesting part of her. The ironic thing was that Wilma used to call Jeannie what she ended up having. A vagina with teeth could also be called a vicious…

OK folks onto this weeks stories. Yet again we have a new writer to showcase. We also have four old friends for your reading entertainment.

The topics this week include a record seeker, expressive flowers, a child tragedy, a home for souls and loss.

As always our initial comments follow.

Dave Henson is a pleasure to have around the site. He regularly comments and he has given us some amazing stories. It was a privilege to have Dave start off the week with ‘The Lightening King And Lucky Girl.’

‘A very entertaining and fun read.’

‘There is a charm to Dave’s writing which compliments the charm of his MC and his misguided compulsion.’

‘I loved the style which really brought the character to life.’

On Tuesday we had Ashlie Allen with her ninth story for us and everyone as unique as the previous.

‘The first paragraph had me and then the wonderful weirdness emphasised the fact.’

‘Totally Crackers.’

‘Everyone knows that flowers have faces, especially pansies but Ashlie has taken this idea up a notch.’

Our new author was CM Pratt. We welcome him, hope he has fun on the site and we also ask that he sends us in more of his work. ‘Have Another‘ broke the back of the week on Wednesday.

‘This was a well written account of a bloke with a secret becoming a selfish pig.’

‘The ending was clever, as a reader, wondering what he had done distracted from the tragedy.’

‘There are some very good choices of phrases.’

On Thursday we had A. Elizabeth Herting with her second story for us. She is a very tenacious and dedicated writer and it was an honour to publish her short, ‘Totality.‘

‘Engrossing and very moving.’

‘There was a wonderful precision to the writing.’

‘This was very well written, it was sad without being cloying.’

And on Friday the legend that is Mr Fred Foote finished off our week with ‘The Path Home.’

‘As always with Fred, the characters are brilliant.’

‘This was a lovely mixture of folk tales, rumour and fantasy.’

‘I like the thought of facing fear which is ultimately facing death.’

That’s us for another seven days.

I’m going to find a fight in the TV stations that are available to me. I have BBC ALBA. (A sort of Gaelic station that only the desperate and depressed watch. Or those who are interested in a Christian being burnt in a Wickerman) They do a cracking coverage of Shinty and competitive rug weaving from South Uist.

I want to watch a fight so the rug weaving it is. Those old girls get quite violent when someone interferes with their tweeding!

Thanks Leila,
I wish there were more of his films that I liked but I’m afraid that ‘Midnight Sting’ is about it. I did like ‘Roots’ and ‘The Principle’ was entertaining but don’t get me started on ‘An Officer And A Gentleman’!!
Thanks as always for your time and comments.
Hugh

Earning a fortune in the boxing ring always amazes me, you don’t need to waste time on some Uni course and career, just get down the gym and have some good direction from the trainers. (after all they want their cut). Yes it takes discipline and hard work. I was at the Eubank – Graciano Rocchigiani in Berlin, close up I could appreciate the effort and discipline they put in to get to their standard of fitness.

Hugh, I wonder how long it will take the Bar staff in the Riverside to note; that every time a mouthy guy gets murdered they have to re-order more Brandy and Babycham. Even Miss Marple could work that one out.